When it comes to public transportation, that last mile to get home can be an issue

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Many people in cities tackle their last mile problems by taking the bus. If it stops right in front of someone’s home or workplace, that’s easy. But, what about people who don’t live on a bus route? Or, who live on side roads that prohibit all large vehicles, even delivery trucks?
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority’s Ben Limmer says his organization is working on that problem. “MARTA is looking at more innovative solutions to help route some of our community circulator buses,” he said. Those are smaller buses, kind of like airport shuttles. Some run on fixed routes, and some will operate like ride shares. “These would be more like [an] Uber or Lyft type technology,” he explained.
MARTA already partners with those companies. Now, it plans to launch its own version of ride-sharing this year. It’s called a flexible transit pilot program. MARTA got a private grant for it, but the Federal Transit Administration has also given out grant money to spur this kind of innovation nationwide.
MARTA is also using bicycles to solve the last mile problem.More>>